Cordless, battery-operated floor edger, scrubber, and buffer

ABSTRACT

In the floor cleaning industry to have a battery powered machine that can quickly remove dirt and wax build up from edges of floor would revolutionize the way floors are stripped, scrubbed, and buffed. The splash guard would eliminate any floor cleaning agents from contaminating shelved goods. The unique hinge system allows the brush or pad to travel under stationary objects. With no cord to deal with floor jobs would move along faster with higher quality and less risk of injury. The quick release piece would allow user to switch from brush to pad rapidly not losing valuable time on the job. Current methods of cleaning edges, and hard to get to areas are limited to manual operations. This machine offers a power tool with a rechargeable battery adjustable to both right and left handed users.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to cordless, battery operated cleaning mechanismsand more particularly to the stripping, scrubbing, and buffing of edgesand hard to reach areas on various types of floors using 18 and 24-voltreversible motor, designed to accommodate both left and right handedusers, with adjustable splash guard, and a polarity reverse switch.Changeable heads and hinge motor housing unit, which allows for cleaningof hard to reach areas, such as under stationary tables, benches, andchairs. also, incorporated is a variable speed switch which allowsslower speeds which are needed to strip and scrub and higher speedswhich are needed for buffing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not applicable

BACKGROUND INVENTION

Currently in the field of stripping and scrubbing of floors, there areno cordless, battery-operated mechanisms. Current methods for removingwax build-up in hard to reach areas and edges around floor displays aremanual, with a hand held razor blade scraper, or scrub pad applied to adoodle-bug. While there are a number of battery-operated cleaning tools,none would be sufficient to perform the specific task of this field ofendeavor.

In the field of dc powered cleaning tools, there are many that usedetachable rotary discs as well as changeable pad, however, none use anadjustable splash guard, or a reversible motor which is needed forvarious users. U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,605 Armbruster, uses a telescopingpole and a hinge, however, these aren't applicable for use on floorswhere pressure must be exerted not vertically, but horizontally. Also,the patent mentioned above uses 12 volts. This too is not adequate toaccommodate the speeds needed to buff various floors. Prior art does notdisclose an 18 and 24 volt dc powered stripper, scrubber, and buffercombination that uses an adjustable splash guard, a fixed length pole,with variable speed and reversible motor, designed exclusively for flooredging applications.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

With only manual, as well as corded machines, available tosatisfactorily remove wax and dirt build up from edges of various typesof flooring, the embodiment of a cordless edger would decrease not onlythe time needed to strip and scrub edges of floors, but would greatlyreduce the amount of manual labor needed. There is great advantage innot having a cord and in having a suitable splash guard to prevent thedamage of goods on shelves close to the floor. Also, the adjustablehinge allows the head of the unit to stay in a fixed position as needed;angled, vertical, or horizontal.

It is the object of this invention to provide a unique cleaning toolwhich is cordless, versatile, and easy to use and maintain.

It is another object of this invention to provide the floor cleaningindustry with a new power tool for stripping, scrubbing, and buffingedges of floors.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an edging toolthat accommodates both left and right handed users.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a tool with arechargeable, long-life, battery.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a floor cleaningpower tool that can reach under stationary objects, such as tables, andbenches.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a floor cleaningpower tool with interchangeable heads, using both pads and brushes.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a floor cleaningpower tool with an adjustable mid-pole handle, to accommodate varioususers.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a floor cleaningpower tool with a variable speed and reversible dc motor.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a floor cleaningpower tool, equipped with an adjustable/removable splash guard.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 side view of the embodiment of a cordless battery operated flooredger, scrubber, and buffer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 side sectional view of how and where the battery retainingbracket is attached to the end of the pole.

FIG. 3 side view of the mid-pole handle bracket attached to the pole.

FIG. 4a overhead view of the splash guard.

FIG. 4b side view of the splash guard.

FIG. 5a front view of the male side of the hinge.

FIG. 5b side view of the male side of the hinge.

FIG. 6 side view of one piece of the female side of the hinge.

FIG. 7a overhead view of the splash guard stabilizing and retainingplate.

FIG. 7b side view of the splash stabilizing and retaining plate.

FIG. 7c side view of the angle bracket that holds the splash guardstabilizing and retaining plate to the motor housing.

FIG. 8 sectional view of the motor housing with motor mounted and FIG.7c as well as FIG. 5b attached.

FIG. 9 sectional view of the rear pole handle with variable speed switchand polarity reverse switch.

FIG. 10 front view of the mid-pole handle bracket. Same as FIG. 3 but adifferent view.

FIG. 11 quick connect piece to be attached to brush as well as disc forfloor pads.

FIG. 12 mid pole handle.

DETAILD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1 the device according to the present inventionuses a fixed length pole 8. Prepare the pole by notching out holes bothtop and bottom to support polarity reverse switch 42 and variable speedswitch 45, also drill counter sink holes 43 & 44 in proper position onthe pole. Drill counter sink holes 9 to support battery retaining andsupporting bracket 10. At the bottom of the pole drill counter sinkholes 28, both left and right side, to support 2 pieces of the femaleside of the hinge 26. Connect wires to polarity reverse switch 42. Thenrun them to the bottom of pole 8, to the top of pole 8, and to thenotched out hole for the variable speed switch 45.

Slide polarity reverse switch 42 into place and screw down throughcounter sink holes 43, then attach wires to the variable speed switch45, slide into place, and screw down through counter sink holes 44.Starting from top of the pole 8, slide pole grip handle 2 down the poleand into place. Connect wires at the top of the pole 8 to the batteryretaining and supporting bracket 10. Slide the battery retaining andsupporting bracket 10 into place and attach thru counter sink holes 9.

At the bottom of the pole 8 drill a hole on the top side, pull wiresthrough hole. Slide a rubber donut insulator down the wires and into thehole to avoid wire rubbing on the pole 8. Attach a two sided plug-intype connector to the end of the wire. Leaving enough wire to allow forthe pole 8 to move up and down on the hinge FIG. 4. at the bottom of thepole 8 insert one piece of the female side of the hinge 26. Screw intoplace through counter sink holes 28. Then put second piece of the femaleside of hinge 26 into pole 8. Screw into place through counter sinkholes 28. This forms the complete female side of the hinge 26.

Take bottom piece of the mid pole handle bracket 49 and the middle pieceof the mid pole handle bracket 48 and attach it to the middle section ofthe pole 8. Screw down through counter sink holes 50. Take the mid polehandle 51 and insert it into place on the top of the middle piece of themid pole handle bracket 48, then put the top piece of the mid polehandle bracket 47 into place and screw down through counter sink holes46.

To assemble motor housing 5 use stock material. Cut four even sides thengroove inside bottom of each side to hold motor stabilizing andretaining plate 39. Cut from stock material a top piece and a bottompiece to fit motor housing unit 5. Drill center hole in bottom piece andcut in two. Take three sides of motor housing unit 5 and spot weld inthe connecting corners.

Then spot weld top piece to the three sides of the motor housing unit 5.Take one half of the bottom plate and spot weld it to the bottom of theconnected three sides of the motor housing unit 5, leaving one open sideof the motor housing unit 5.

Obtain stock material for motor stabilizing and retaining mount plate39. Drill center hole and motor mount screw holes. Then mount completemotor 37, gear box 38, and adjustable clutch 40 to motor stabilizing andretaining plate 39. Connect needed wires to the motor 37. Drill a holein the top of the motor housing unit 5, and insert a rubber donutinsulator into the hole. Push wires connected to motor 37 through holein the top of the motor housing unit 5,

Then slide motor stabilizing and retaining plate 39 into the grove ofthe three sided motor housing unit 5. Drill and tap holes to attach theremaining side of the motor housing unit 5, and the second half of thebottom of the motor ho using unit 5. Take the second side of thetwo-sided plug-in connector that fits the wires coming out the bottom ofthe pole 8. Connect plug to the wires from the motor 37.

Connect the male side 23 of the adjustable hinge FIG. 4 to the motorhousing unit 5, as seen in FIG. 8. Slide female side 26 of theadjustable hinge FIG. 4 at the bottom of the pole 8 into the male side23 of the adjustable hinge FIG. 4 and insert bolt into hole 24. Use wingnut on bolt to allow quick adjustment.

Attach angle bracing brackets 34 to all four sides of the motor housingunit 5. From stock material, cut splash guard bracing disc 31, squareout the center 29 and drill all holes 30, and 32. Slide splash guardbracing disc 31 over the motor housing unit 5. Attach to the anglebracing brackets 34. Attach splash guard 16 to splash guard bracing disc31. Take quick connect piece FIG. 11 and attach it to purchasedstripping brush with a lock nut. Insert into hollow motor shaft 41.

To strip floor, pick up machine, adjust to fit, and place the brush onthe floor. Pull variable speed trigger 6 to achieve desired speed. Exertminimum pressure downward and walk along the edges of the floor toremove old wax build up.

To scrub floor, remove brush from machine useing a disc and a purchasedscrub pad with quick connect piece FIG. 11 (attached the same as thebrush with lock nut). Insert into hollow motor shaft 41 and follow thesame procedure as when stripping.

To buff floor, remove scrub pad from bottom of disc and apply a buffpad. Then follow the same procedure as scrubbing, only use maximum speedprovided through the variable speed switch 6.

1. The application of cordless battery powered motor, gear box, andclutch assembly mounted at the end of a fixed length pole to be used tostrip, scrub, and buff edges of various types of floors
 2. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said application is not limited to any rangeof voltage as supplied by rechargeable battery source.
 3. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said application is limited for use onvarious types of flooring as well as various types of carpets, 4.Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application would includeprotective adjustable splash guard
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,wherein said application would include quick release piece in varioussizes
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said application wouldincorporate an adjustable mid pole handle
 7. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said application would also incorporate an adjustablehinge able to adjust so as to stay in a fixed position
 8. Apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said application would use both brush and, ainterchangeable pad disc not limited in size
 9. Apparatus as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said application of motor, gear box, and clutchassembly not limited to dependancy